Whisper Sweet Nothings

Folks are at it again. The "local control" banners, buttons and bumper stickers are being handed out, this time for the proposed city of Mulberry. The referendum bill has passed in the legislature and the governor has signed off, and an interesting city it will be. The city charter is worth a read and in the vein of "there ought to be a law," reading the charter should be required before you're allowed to vote. 

There are some key takeaways.

Like Dunwoody, the city tax millage rate is limited by law. Unlike Dunwoody, it is pegged at 0 mills. That's right, ZERO. Can you imagine how our crop of tax-and-spend whiners would squeal with a limit like that? Of course the Mulberrians must be on constant alert as at the first charter "update" some greedy bastard will want to raise that limit if not eliminate it entirely. 

Perhaps more interesting is all-things-city-manager is left blank, as in "reserved." Perhaps they are wise enough to avoid a city manager and the inevitable bloated bureaucracy that entails. Maybe they want to ensure a limited time contract, say 3 years, for the city manager. Perhaps they will contract it all out and given it is "city-lite" that may be the plan. Or it may be a sneak attack against trusting Mulberrians. In any event, prudent Mulberrians should ask, and demand, answers to critical questions. Go not blindly into that danger zone. 

Worthy of note is that the city will not provide police and fire, keeping these services with the county. Would that we had been so wise. Perhaps the Mulberrians have learned from the huge mistakes made by Dunwoody (can you say "losing court battles?"). But they also need to be on guard against a "developers' authority" and selling your soul to outside grants. That is if they are really committed to local control.

Counting When It Matters

The "Brookhaven Annexation" applicant has withdrawn, allegedly after "questions were raised" about the application. Now that is spin that would make Washington insiders dizzy.  Questions were not raised; observations were made. The applicant's claim regarding 60% of the population was based on an under count of the relevant population. Hence not 60%. Oops. If that were not enough some property owners smelled a rat and pulled out of the fiasco. Again, not 60%. 

While this application has been withdrawn, we'll not have long to wait for the second act. Like all good citihood advocates hell bent on throwing their fellow citizens under the bus we are treated to the same chant: "we'll be back!" Let's hope more folks at risk of getting caught up in this disaster use the intermission to read the city charter as they'll soon realize they are turning their community over to unelected bureaucrats unaccountable to anyone who lives there.

Where The Smart People Went

Remember when Dunwoody was "smart people-smart city?" Ever wonder where all those "smart people" went? Well, some seem to have landed in happily unincorporated DeKalb County. Other smart folks have always lived there.

Now they are under attack. By Brookhaven. See Brookhaven is one of the new faux cities where elected officials are powerless and city hall wants to annex folks in the Toco Hills area. The smart residents of that area are putting up a fight. They seem to have a clue how this will impact their quality of life. Negatively. Perhaps they've been watching Brookhaven or Dunwoody's screwups. Maybe they've noticed the degradation of services awaiting them if them if this train wreck comes to their neighborhood. Or it could be they just do not want non-stop tax increases. Maybe they like having a police force that engages in quality of life enforcement. 

It must be nice to have your vote matter as it does in unincorporated DeKalb where the CEO and Commissioners have actual operational responsibilities and authority. We had that before citihood, but now we have a situation structurally identical to the DeKalb County Schools were elected officials are little more than cheerleaders for an unelected and unresponsive bureaucracy. 

Opponents rightly observe that this is being rushed. Of course it is. That's how you pull the wool over peoples' eyes: quickly, before they have a chance to see the truth. And while it is good they are looking over the plans (which we know from experience are vaporware) they should be reading the Brookhaven City charter which will reveal that should the residents vote for annexation it is the last meaningful vote they will be allowed to make. 

Just Say No...

...and hope it sticks.

A recent Emory poll shows folks holding a very unfavorable view of the whole "City of Buckhead City" kerfuffle. In aggregate (Atlanta and within the Buckhead area) over 70% are against the proposed city. More telling is that with the Buckhead area well over 50%, a clear majority are against it. 

And yet it will come back again, like a cold sore. If there are any remaining investigative journalists it would be really nice to find out how this keeps happening. Who is behind this? What is driving it? How will these people benefit? How much money is at stake? Do those who will live in this city know that the city charter will place an army of bureaucrats between their vote and what happens in Buckhead? 

Ever vigilant.

Safe? For Now...

The Georgia Senate voted overwhelmingly against Senate Bill 114 which would have authorized a vote on City of Buckhead City (yes, they call it that) putting a stop to the city-hoods. For now. But they will be back as there is a lot of money behind this effort and a lot of money to be made by powerful interests should Buckhead split and form yet-another bureaucrat owned and operated sprawling government. If you read the bill, pay close attention pages 22-25 where it is clearly laid out that the elected officials have little to no influence over or impact upon what goes on in the City of Buckhead City. All power resides in the city manager, all employees report to the city manager and all interactions with business and developers are by way of the city manager and his minions. All these new established-in-a-hurry cities are cast from the same mold. 

If (more likely when) this comes around again and is placed before the voters as a referendum and should the voters approve, that will be the last meaningful vote they will be allowed to cast. 

Honeymoon Cancelled

Mableton hasn't even seated a mayor, or anyone for that matter, yet thousands have signed a de-annexation petition. Hardly in the city and they already want out. Not since Brexit has there been such a wave of voter regret. OK. Fine. Not since Biden has there been such regret. 

It will be very interesting to see how this de-annexation plays out. Might be some folks round these parts, maybe those getting a highway lane in their back yard, that might want to follow suit.

Mableton Maybe?

Voters in Mableton have approved the cityhood referendum and the voices from both sides are singing the same hymns as those who've come before. The pro choir have dropped the verse about a city police force which is interesting as this new city will be the largest in Cobb County. Perhaps they watched the dumpster fire that is the Dunwoody PD and decided to pass on that one. The anti choir is saying they'll be watching, especially on the pro's commitment to not raise taxes (a lie from the get-go), but everyone knows the proposed budgets were unadulterated bullshit and while they may not raise the millage rate for the first few years, taxes will increase. As will the general cost of living due to fees.

One thing does set "Mableton" apart: geographically it isn't what was commonly thought of as Mableton as the cartographers have sucked much of south Cobb into the newly imagined city. This includes areas which are at least under developed or ripe for re-purposing from aging industrial to something else. This could happen organically (think: artists' village) but before Mableton sends their second tax bill there will be a Mableton Developer Authority handing out tax breaks to boost the profits of developers. An argument might even be made that a five-on-two that will be dilapidated in 8-10 years actually is an improvement over brown-field that already IS dilapidated. Just doesn't fit the recycle-repurpose-reuse paradigm of the eco-minded. 

Mableton, we're gonna miss ya.

City Escape

The East Cobb vote went down in flames with opponents touting the inevitable increase in taxes, perhaps having watched what has happened in Dunwoody. They also pointed out how the process seemed rushed, it was, making it clear something wicked this way comes. Perhaps they even read the charter and noted that their "representatives' would be legally prohibited from any activity that even looked like representation. 

Proponents pulled their social media presence like a turtle pulling back into its shell but make no mistake they will be back. There is serious power and money behind these cityhood movements and they will get what they want.

Just Say No

It appears that East Cobb voters are going to be put to the test. But they're not going to get much time to think about it because they want the vote held ASAP. As "during the primary" rather than "during the general election" when the turnout would be greater with more time to analyze the proposal and the likely consequences. Because...well...that would probably not go in favor of a "yes" outcome. 

And the text of the referendum, available in the bill, suggests a bit of a snow job is actually going to appear on the ballot. Not uncommon. Very often the text on the ballot provides less than a fair representation of the consequences of the actual vote. No different here.

But, as predicted, this bill is to create a city where your elected officials are virtually powerless. Surprisingly this appears in the very first paragraph but is detailed on pages 23-24. Look it up. Page 22 hints at the incredible job protection, baked in from the very start, for the city manager. Keep in mind his contract and those of other city bureaucrats will be written by those very same bureaucrats. 

The more difficult job is what is not there. Sure, it is clear that this bill is the foundation for uncontrollable authorities that will enrich developers and destroy your community. Notably absent in this not-built-for-the-people bill is that you'll not only elect powerless representation there is no provision for Citizens' Review Board. Seems like a very large oversight on the part of the gold-domers now doesn't it?

So if you vote for this, you'll be voting to hand over your community, your life, to a bureaucrat, one who isn't concerned about your life and where you live and who probably will never live there. It will be the last time you will have a vote on your own quality of life.

House Of Cards Collapses

One of the faux neo-cities just went Humpty-Dumpty causing real damage in the fall. And just who was hurt? Well, it wouldn't be the residents as they suffered self-inflicted irreparable damage when they put this jinga game out there for others to play. Badly. With startling transparency the AJC reports that Stonecrest established a developers' authority coincident with installing a rather powerless mayor. Elation all around, but especially for the developers who looked to score a cool three-quarters of a billion dollars. But wheeler-dealers have resigned and important documentation is nowhere to be found. It appears the deal is crashing down leaving developers to weep in their '59 Dom Perignon.

While this is strangely amusing, structural weaknesses and financial calamity is not the real issue. At least not the one facing Buckhead, East Cobb and whatever will become of GreenCliff. Their dilemma is how to ignore the tune of the pied pipers leading them to a similar fate, handing all the gold to developers, increasing their taxes and forfeiting any meaningful vote at the ballot box while handing their lives over to bureaucrats who will serve any interest but theirs.

Unlike Stonecrest (and Dunwoody) these folks have a chance to avert disaster.

Is Anyone REALLY Surprised?

The AJC is oozing faux-surprise at the fact that the group organizing the push for Buckhead citihood is operating behind the opaque cover of blackout curtains. After all the non-profits behind the push for Dunwoody did exactly the same thing. And more. They established "task forces" that wrote reports never made available prior to the vote. Open? Transparent? Not in the least. In retrospect these committees were the incestuous love child between PR and diversion, getting folks pumped up into thinking they were insiders (they weren't) and keeping them from realizing what was really going to happen (they didn't). After the deed was done and they realized they had been hoodwinked there were some healthy servings of buyers' remorse at the Dunwoody City Buffet. 

The prospects are even worse for Buckhead as they are abandoning a structurally better government for one that will, by design, disenfranchise the very residents that will vote for its creation. To pull this off the organizing group requires 100% opacity. No one, absolutely no one can actually see what is happening prior to the vote. No reports will be made public. IRS filings will be available no sooner than 23 months from acquiring non-profit status. This is actually legal, sad, but legal. Not subject to any other accountability there will be no open records or FOIA requests, something that also annoys the AJC. 

But the real disaster is that the city charter will NOT be available prior to the vote and the vote will not be for that charter. It will be to form the city prior to penning the charter. After the vote residents may be surprise to learn that the council and mayor are mere bystanders to a city that will be run by a city manager. Yes, they will hire that manager but after that original sin the manager is in full control. The manager will build out a staff, and if Dunwoody is an indication it will spread faster than a California wildfire. The manager will craft contracts, including their own, with generous golden parachutes and impediments to firing or milder disciplinary action. And should mayor or council try anything, disciplinary or operational, the Georgia Municipal Association will step in. Sound familiar? Like the powerless school board members we elect who are also as worthless as teats on a boar. Remember when SACS stepped in on the Superintendent's behalf resulting in the governor firing half the board? 

The folks setting up these cities know exactly what they are doing, who they are disenfranchising and who they are serving. And they will keep the voters in the dark because the current city government (Atlanta's) has a strong mayor and council. Currently, many residents may be disheartened by what they perceive as woefully inadequate services but they actually can elect people who actually can make changes. If they approve a city of Buckhead they will lose that forever and will be at the mercy of career bureaucrats and the powerful, monied interests they will serve.

City vs Developer

An interesting turn in the Buckhead breakaway movement are the naysayers highlighting the financial damage done to the city, Atlanta, left behind. To amp up the rhetoric they point out the millions of tax dollars this will siphon away from the Atlanta Public Schools.

Somehow none of these folks were very concerned when their developers' authorities did exactly the same thing.

They're Going To Do It

The folks who want to bring Dunwoody-calibre dysfunction to East Cobb are at it again. Still yet. They ARE going to get their city. And that's not all.

They ARE creating MORE GOVERNMENT, layer cake or junk-in-a-box, it is MORE GOVERNMENT.

They ARE going to create a DEVELOPERS' AUTHORITY that will hand out your tax dollars to developers who will destroy your quality of life at the same time robbing your children's schools of needed money.

They ARE going to build a government of outside bureaucrats who will operate unsupervised and infrequently observed by your elected representatives.

They ARE lying: about "local control"; about your tax dollars, where and how they're spent; and about preserving damn near anything you value.

But make no mistake: they ARE going to get their city. Unless you fight and fight hard. Because there is significant money at stake, relationships to be made and power to be leveraged to the benefit of those behind this effort. 

Now if you're in favor of a city then by all means, listen to a city manager, a manager who has directly benefited from the creation of these fairy ring cities. He certainly should be a fan-boy. If you, as a resident, a taxpayer, a voter, would like to get an idea of what is in store then drop in at a Dunwoody council meeting or better yet, chat up a few of the folks living around Dunwoody Village. 

You may be of the mind that you can, that you must fight this. That you can win. You may be right. You may be able to fend off "Jaws 2" and certainly many are rooting for you. It IS a good fight, victory is uncertain and the enemy, and they ARE your enemy, is relentless. Good luck and godspeed.

Rise UP!

Finally we have someone who is standing up for residents and their children. Surprisingly, it is DeKalb County. Or, perhaps, it isn't so surprising that it is NOT the City of Dunwoody as in fact, they are the problem. Jeff Rader seems put out with cities, like Dunwoody, that are ripping off our county and our schools and is trying to put a stop to this legalized theft.

What has been happening is the spread of cities, which are by design hobbled by extremely weak public representation, are offering corporate welfare to developers by taking the property off the tax rolls using their Developer Authorities. This effectively starves your children's schools of much needed funding and exacerbates the problem by bringing high-density housing that crowds their classrooms, often with transient students. Making the odor of corruption even more repulsive these organizations are often paid by the developers (PILOT), with no money going to your schools. Instead the dollars are going to line the pockets of appointees, well connected, highly paid individuals who often show little or no concern for the residents of the city they exploit.

If they were trying to harm you and your children what would they do differently?

Here's A Headline

From the AJC:

Creating East Cobb could cost residents

Really? What a shocker. Not!

One cost item the AJC points to is Franchise Fees an issue addressed time and again by TOD.

But, you say, they have a study from Georgia State saying this city is not only financially feasible but will run a surplus. Wanna bet?

Proponents, and there do not seem to be nearly as many as there are skeptics, roll out the standard lies:

according to their website they believe a new city would improve police, fire and zoning services and "create and preserve local identity" without raising taxes

So much wrong, so little time. In fact there is hardly a single nugget of truth in that statement (as printed in the AJC). Let's start with the "raising taxes" politi-speak. Those franchise fees? That's not a tax, it's a fee. See? No new "tax." "Raising" taxes means raising the millage rate. Ask any currently elected politico. We have a whole council full of them. Right now, if you are of a "certain age," you enjoy the best property tax relief in the entire state. Will your new city fall in line with the county or will that fall thru the cracks?

Then there is the "L" word : local. Their use is subtle but suggestive of the "local control" bromide. Local identity? What is that now and what do they expect it to become? You'll have to wait and see. Is their vision that Loch Highlands will carry the same identity as Indian Hills?

The implication that the city will provide fire services is ludicrous. As to police, without a significant infusion of money, from you, there will be no improvement. If Dunwoody is any guide, even with annual budget bloat, police services will degrade. And zoning? Often mentioned, but it has been nothing but a disaster in Dunwoody.

Don't you already have a HOA? Do you really want another, more expensive one? But if you're hellbent on getting a city, come on over, we've got one we'd love to give you.

Driving For The Green

Never-say-die proponents of the City of Cliffside, now re-branded as Greenhaven, got their passover wish: yet another bill setting the stage for another contrivance, another vote. It is as if Brexit intersected with the Clinton Campaign on Groundhog Day. Unlike the early days of city mania there is significant pushback. Significant because skeptics are using the only approach likely to succeed: facts. Against the non-stop propaganda, even when endorsed by CVI or GSU with "commissioned" reports, facts are the only way to win the day and to date, facts have prevailed.

But the powers behind the neo-city movement will never, ever, give up. Why? Because at the heart of these cities is greed and greed is like entropy: without significant, concerted effort put forth by those of high character and moral integrity, greed will not go away and it will not diminish.

Make no mistake: this is not about "local control" or even "keeping our taxes at home." It isn't even about race. This is about power and greed and nothing else. When this city is created, and sooner or later it will be, there will immediately be Bureaus and Authorities to satisfy a broad, deep and pervasive greed. There will be a Convention and Visitors Bureau funded by hotel taxes to pay for patronage jobs for friends-and-family appointments. Tip of the iceberg.

The real gold mine is the Development Authority which will reap enormous revenue for the powerful amongst you at great cost to everyone else through a very clever, well executed sleight of hand. Development Authorities are equipped with a machination that allows them to give developers property tax exemptions lasting years and even decades. Begs the question of how greed can be sated by giving away tax money and why would a developer be interested in abatement of the paltry city tax, which any citihood shill will tell you is the smallest tax you pay. That is because this machination allows a CITY Development Authority to not only set aside city property taxes but also eliminates those of the county and the public schools. And the city gets something called "occupational tax" from the businesses leasing the developers' offices and this generates significantly more money per square foot than property tax ever will. And the city shares this with no-one. They just steal money from your children and line their pockets with a city income tax.

None of the ardent supporters of Greenhaven will say, out loud, that they plan to steal your children's education to fuel a powerful monument to greed. A monument they have every intention of owning. But when you vote for this city this is exactly what you are supporting and this is exactly what happened in Dunwoody.

No Constitution For New Cities

A judge threw out video evidence unconstitutionally obtained by the Dunwoody Police Department in their ill-conceived and poorly executed prostitution sting. Now we find that the Georgia Supreme Court has reversed a murder conviction because the Milton PD refused to recognize the suspect's Miranda rights, an action the justices characterized as 'incomprehensible' and 'scary' in arguments put forth to rationalize this blatant attack on civil and constitutional rights.

What these cloistered justices do not understand is these new cities see themselves as sovereigns above and beyond any other law or constitution--state or U.S., it doesn't matter. These cities are operated that way by people who think that way, including those otherwise sworn to honor and uphold the laws and constitutions of this state and country. Higher courts must remain vigilant unless and until the state intercedes to remedy, by re-organization or dissolution, these "failed state" cities. 

Is The Eagle Landing?

Supporters of the proposed city of Eagle's Landing are trotting out the same tired excuses used in the run-up to Dunwoody: keep tax money close at hand; add parks and libraries; and boost police and code enforcement. Just as we look northward to Roswell, perhaps the good voters of Stockbridge should look north to us, asking Dr. Phil's famous question: "how's that working for you?"

Taxes have done nothing but increase. Keep in mind, some off-the-rail Eaglets are claiming there will be no "municipal taxes" from which one can only conclude there will be every other kind of tax imaginable. Then there is the police issue. It will start small, too small, to encourage a positive vote. Then the force will grow exponentially, dominating the budget. If it follows the trend in Dunwoody, there will, ironically, be a decrease in policing within the community. Instead, expect lots of virtual policing in the world of social media. Code enforcement? In Dunwoody that is a joke. A very bad joke. It won't be too long before city staff and members of council don't even understand what the ordinances mean. That is where Dunwoody is today.

Before anyone votes into existence yet-another-city they should create a list of all the times where more government is a good thing. It is a very short list. 

Paving A Path To Perimeter City

Stockbridge's attempt to deny Eagle Landing a chance at cityhood has failed in the courts. We are at the brink of a precedent-setting de-annexation and incorporation to form a new city providing a template for more to come. The most important of these will be Perimeter City (of course) but the first is likely to be Buckhead, whose biggest challenge will be finding a name. Maybe our Smart City Namers and Branders can help out...Not! Once Buckhead gains independence we can expect the dominos to fall.

Perimeter City will be a slam dunk. By mixing in a healthy dose of "politicking" to Live, Work, Play we will be at the forefront of how aging Millennials and their offspring choose to live. And it is a developer's wet dream--that simply cannot be overstated.

So what of the rest--some say the best--of us? Where does that leave us? First, we're in control of our destiny, unbeholden to powerful developers leaking their greed outside the PCID into our neighborhoods. And we can remain the "City of Dunwoody" or we could dispense with the additional layer of government and return to the liberty of unincorporated DeKalb. Or, we could annex into a neighboring city in DeKalb. Brookhaven offers the growing pains of a new city appealing to the masochists amongst us. Chamblee is an option with nicer restaurants and downtown. But these would span the region's ITP/OTP divide--as painful as slipping off the pedals and crushing jewels on the top bar.

That leaves Doraville which is a good fit--if they'll have us. Joining "A Touch Of Country In The City" would certainly please the Farmhouse-ers and even the Williamsburg-ers would not be fish out of water.

There is a lot of work to do, obstacles to be overcome, but with the right people involved, smart people, we can get this thing done.

What Are The Odds?

Not so good for Sharon Springs as sanity reared its ugly head delaying successful adoption of another layer of government. Until next time. And next time there will not be an ill-advised deal to set the hurdle at 57.5% of the vote--a rather odd number allegedly a compromise between a mere 50% + 1 and a two thirds majority. Such a feeble grasp of arithmetic does not speak well to successful operation of a proposed city.

Further south the city of Stockbridge is poised to offer up some prime real estate to a new city of Eagles Landing should the eaglets vote in favor. Much like greater DeKalb during the Dunwoody scramble folks in Stockbridge but outside the Eagle's Nest wanted but were denied a voice at the polls. But that's how cities are made.

Why does any of this matter?

Because we desperately need yet another city. We need Perimeter City. Eagles Landing sets the precedent of creating a city by pilfering property from another city, a necessary prerequisite to founding Perimeter City. Sharon Springs, in defeat, indicates setting a high bar is an unnecessary risk.  But recent setbacks in the march to cities-for-all signals a need to improve the odds and expedite the process ensuring minimal time for organized opposition. Perimeter City, without a doubt, will be an economic and political powerhouse but it is far from a slam dunk. Success hinges on a back-to-basics hard-hitting campaign blitz and maybe a little bit of the good old sleight-of-hand that gave us Dunwoody.

Let the games begin.